Panasonic GX85 vs Sony RX100 VI

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 (called Panasonic GX80 in some regions) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VI are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively,
in April 2016 and June 2018. The GX85 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the RX100 VI is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (GX85) and an one-inch (RX100 VI) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 15.8 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 20 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 and the
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VI? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors,
their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Panasonic GX85 vs Sony RX100 VI

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Panasonic GX85 and the Sony RX100 VI. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The GX85 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the RX100 VI is
only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Sony RX100 VI is considerably smaller (32 percent) than the Panasonic GX85. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the GX85 nor the RX100 VI are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX100 VI has a lens built in,
whereas the GX85 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the GX85 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the GX85 gets 290 shots out of its DMW-BLG10 battery,
while the RX100 VI can take 240 images on a single charge of its NP-BX1 power pack. The power pack in the RX100 VI can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Panasonic GX85 vs Sony RX100 VI

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic GX85 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony RX100 VI
an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX100 VI is 48 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 2.7. The sensor in the GX85 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the RX100 VI offers a 3:2 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the RX100 VI offers a higher
resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 15.8 MP of the GX85.
This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 2.41μm versus 3.77μm for the GX85). However, it should be noted that the RX100 VI is much more recent (by 2 years and 2 months) than the GX85, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the GX85 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The RX100 VI has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VI are ISO 125 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-25600.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Panasonic GX85»

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

4K/30p

22.9

12.6

662

71

Panasonic GX85

Sony RX100 VI«

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Sony RX100 VI

Fujifilm X100F«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

-

-

-

-

Fujifilm X100F

Leica C-LUX«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Leica C-LUX

Olympus E-PL8«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

-

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL8

Olympus E-M10 II«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60p

23.1

12.5

842

73

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.8

12.3

884

72

Olympus E-M10

Panasonic GX9«»

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Panasonic GX9

Panasonic G85«»

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

4K/30p

22.8

12.5

656

71

Panasonic G85

Panasonic G7«»

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Panasonic G7

Panasonic GX8«»

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

4K/30p

23.5

12.6

806

75

Panasonic GX8

Panasonic GM5«»

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

1080/60p

22.1

11.7

721

66

Panasonic GM5

Panasonic GX7«»

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

1080/60p

22.6

12.2

718

70

Panasonic GX7

Panasonic GH2«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60i

21.2

11.3

655

60

Panasonic GH2

Sony RX100 V«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

22.8

12.4

586

70

Sony RX100 V

Sony RX100 IV«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

22.8

12.6

591

70

Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX100 II«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

1080/60p

22.5

12.4

483

67

Sony RX100 II

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison: Panasonic GX85 vs Sony RX100 VI

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder.
However, the one in the GX85 offers a higher resolution than the one in the RX100 VI (2765k vs 2359k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Panasonic GX85 and Sony RX100 VI along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Mech Shutter Speed

Shutter Flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Panasonic GX85»

2765

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

Y

Y

Panasonic GX85

Sony RX100 VI«

2359

n

3.0

1229

tilting

Y

1/2000s

24.0

Y

Y

Sony RX100 VI

Fujifilm X100F«»

2360

n

3.0

1040

fixed

n

1/4000s

8.0

Y

n

Fujifilm X100F

Leica C-LUX«»

2330

n

3.0

1240

fixed

Y

1/2000s

10.0

Y

Y

Leica C-LUX

Olympus E-PL8«»

-

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PL8

Olympus E-M10 II«»

2360

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10«»

1440

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-M10

Panasonic GX9«»

2760

n

3.0

1240

tilting

Y

1/4000s

9.0

Y

Y

Panasonic GX9

Panasonic G85«»

2360

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

9.0

Y

Y

Panasonic G85

Panasonic G7«»

2360

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

7.0

Y

n

Panasonic G7

Panasonic GX8«»

2360

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/8000s

10.0

n

Y

Panasonic GX8

Panasonic GM5«»

1166

n

3.0

921

fixed

Y

1/500s

5.8

n

n

Panasonic GM5

Panasonic GX7«»

2760

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/8000s

5.0

Y

Y

Panasonic GX7

Panasonic GH2«»

1534

n

3.0

460

swivel

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Panasonic GH2

Sony RX100 V«»

2359

n

3.0

1229

tilting

n

1/2000s

24.0

Y

Y

Sony RX100 V

Sony RX100 IV«»

2359

n

3.0

1228

tilting

n

1/2000s

16.0

Y

Y

Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX100 II«»

-

n

3.0

1229

tilting

n

1/2000s

10.0

Y

Y

Sony RX100 II

The RX100 VI has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by
vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the GX85 does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while
others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature
an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Panasonic GX85 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to
capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The GX85 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the RX100 VI uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison: Panasonic GX85 vs Sony RX100 VI

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VI and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Type

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Panasonic GX85»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Panasonic GX85

Sony RX100 VI«

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Sony RX100 VI

Fujifilm X100F«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Fujifilm X100F

Leica C-LUX«»

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Leica C-LUX

Olympus E-PL8«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-PL8

Olympus E-M10 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M10

Panasonic GX9«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

Y

Panasonic GX9

Panasonic G85«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Panasonic G85

Panasonic G7«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Panasonic G7

Panasonic GX8«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Panasonic GX8

Panasonic GM5«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Panasonic GM5

Panasonic GX7«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Panasonic GX7

Panasonic GH2«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Panasonic GH2

Sony RX100 V«»

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX100 V

Sony RX100 IV«»

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX100 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX100 II

It is notable that the GX85 has a hotshoe, while the RX100 VI does not. This socket makes it possible to easily
attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Both the GX85 and the RX100 VI are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The GX85 replaced the earlier Panasonic GX7, while the RX100 VI followed on from the Sony RX100 V. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official
Panasonic and Sony websites.

Review summary: Panasonic GX85 vs Sony RX100 VI

So what is the bottom line? Is the Panasonic GX85 better than the Sony RX100 VI or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85:

Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.

More modern: Reflects 2 years and 2 months of technical progress since the GX85 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the GX85 comes out slightly ahead of the RX100 VI (13 : 12 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges
from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera
is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the GX85 or the RX100 VI perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews: Panasonic GX85 vs Sony RX100 VI

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge,
reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.